People take selfies in front of a film poster at a cinema in Fuyang City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 3, 2025.

Beyond festive foods and goods, during the ongoing Spring Festival holiday, people in China can also immerse themselves in delightful experiences featuring more cultural elements. The holiday film lineup may leave Chinese moviegoers spoiled for choice.

As of Feb. 2, box office revenue from the holiday had reached 7 billion yuan (about 972 million U.S. dollars). The reading for the first six days of the holiday, driven mainly by popular domestic productions, is already nearing the record box office of 8.02 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars) set during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday. (Photo by Lu Qijian/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's film industry set a new milestone during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, with box office revenue from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 reaching a record 5.75 billion yuan (about 802 million U.S. dollars), surpassing the previous high of 5.73 billion yuan set in 2021.

As of Feb. 2, box office revenue from the holiday had reached 7 billion yuan. The reading for the first six days of the holiday, driven mainly by popular domestic productions, is already nearing the record box office of 8.02 billion yuan set during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday.

Bringing the total box office revenue since the beginning of 2025 to 9 billion yuan, the figure has solidified China's position as a global leader in box office revenue for 2025.

"The moviegoers' enthusiasm indicates vibrant consumption during the holiday as well as the consumers' confidence in domestic productions," said Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association.

The Spring Festival, traditionally a peak and lucrative period for moviegoing, saw fierce competition among major releases. This year, the Spring Festival holiday was extended by one day to eight days, running from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4.

Leading the pack was the animated fantasy "Ne Zha 2," which earned over 3.1 billion yuan in just five days after it landed in movie theaters, according to data released by the box office tracker Beacon.

The sequel, trailing the success of the 2019 hit "Ne Zha," which raked in a revenue of over 5 billion yuan, impressed audiences with its stunning visuals and engaging storyline, earning an 8.6 rating on Douban, a popular Chinese film review platform.

"'Ne Zha 2' has far surpassed 'Ne Zha,' delivering an immersive cinematic experience," said Liu Wenzhang, producer of the "Ne Zha" series and CEO of Chengdu Coco Cartoon Co., Ltd.

Reflecting rich Chinese cultural heritage, the film saw broad appeal, with over 32 percent of viewers opting for group screenings, often bringing along their relatives and children.

Trailing behind was "Detective Chinatown 1900," a detective thriller that raked in 1.8 billion yuan, securing second place. Part of the successful Detective Chinatown franchise, the film continued to draw fans with its intricate plot and engaging performances.

Third place went to "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force," which grossed 894 million yuan. The film added to the trend of multiple strong performers during this year's holiday season, highlighting a diverse and robust lineup.

Though "Ne Zha 2" turned out to be the biggest highlight of the holiday, other films also showed market potential, said Rao. A seasoned observer of the market, he forecast that the box office revenue for the holiday will surpass 9.5 billion yuan.

Chen Jin, a data analyst from Beacon, expressed his hope that this year's Spring Festival box office would not only set a new revenue record but also deliver outstanding audience satisfaction. "The strong performance of these films lays a solid foundation for the steady growth of China's film market in 2025." ■

People line up to have their tickets checked at a cinema in Zunhua City, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 3, 2025.(Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)

People watch a film at a cinema in Feidong County, Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 3, 2025.(Photo by Ruan Xuefeng/Xinhua)

People line up as they wait to watch a film at a cinema in Fuyang City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 3, 2025.(Photo by Lu Qijian/Xinhua)

A moviegoer walks past film posters at a cinema in Jiaxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 3, 2025.(Photo by Jin Peng/Xinhua)

People purchase movie tickets at a cinema in Mengzi City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 2, 2025.(Photo by Xue Yingying/Xinhua)

People purchase movie tickets at a cinema in Binzhou City, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 2, 2025.(Photo by Chu Baorui/Xinhua)

Parents with their children claim tickets at a cinema in Xiqing District, north China's Tianjin, Feb. 3, 2025.(Xinhua/Li Ran)

People walk into a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 3, 2025.(Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

People prepare to watch a film at a cinema in Xiqing District, north China's Tianjin, Feb. 3, 2025.(Xinhua/Li Ran)

People wait to watch a film at a cinema in Minhang District of Shanghai, east China, Feb. 2, 2025.(Xinhua/Liu Ying)

People look at a film poster at a cinema in Chaoyang District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2025.(Xinhua/Wu Qinghao)

People walk out of a movie screening room at a cinema in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 3, 2025.(Photo by Peng Yikai/Xinhua)

People claim tickets at a cinema in Fengtai District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2025.(Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

People are seen at a cinema in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2025.(Xinhua/Cai Yang)